This disclosure relates generally to eyewear systems, and specifically to sport, safety, utility, and fashion eyewear with a lens frame locking mechanism. In particular, the disclosure concerns lens frame operating and locking mechanisms for sunglasses, goggles, spectacles, safety glasses, and other prescription, non-prescription and eyewear, in fixed and replaceable lens designs.
Glasses, goggles and other eyewear systems are extensively used in a wide range of different sports and optical applications, including sun protection, vision correction, vision enhancement and protective eyewear for snow sports, motor sports, biking, running, surfing and swimming. Professional-grade eyewear designs are also utilized in tactical and industrial applications, including impact-resistant tactical goggles, integrated night vision systems, welding glasses, and a wide variety of different safety glasses and safety goggle configurations.
Goggle eyewear typically includes a lens frame with an inner edge adapted to the contour of a user's face, with a strap or headband connected at opposite sides of the frame. Sunglasses, prescription glasses and safety glasses, on the other hand, typically utilize a temple arrangement, for example with two hinged temples connected to an eyewire or front frame and nose bridge support that extend to the rest on the ears of the user.
In snow sports and motor sport applications, a single oblong lens frame is common, but dual-lens goggle systems are also known, for example in swimming and road hike (motorcycle) applications. Similarly, while eyewear having temples may be configured with two separate lens frames, particularly in prescription lens applications, single-frame sunglasses and other single-lens eyeglass protection systems are also widely known.
Both goggles and other eyeglass systems are also commonly configured for use with helmets and other protective gear, and either may include intermediate attachments or support structures. While some in the industry may carefully distinguish between goggles with straps or headbands and eyeglass-type (e.g., having temples) eyewear, others may use the terms more interchangeably. As used herein, therefore, the term “eyewear” encompasses sunglasses, eyeglasses, goggles, safety glasses and other optical systems with either headband attachments or temples, in both one and two lens frame configurations for corrective, non-prescription, sporting, tactical, utility and fashion lens applications.
Across all of these different applications, there is a constant demand for uncompromising performance in the highest quality eyewear available. In particular, there is a continual desire for improved lens frame designs, adaptable to a broad range of professional grade eyewear in both fixed and replaceable lens configurations. At the same time, these designs must provide durability, versatility and dependability across a wide range of different environmental conditions, including heat, cold, sun, rain, snow, ice, dust, salt, sand, mud, and impact, whenever and wherever environmental conditions demand.